On Wednesday, March 13, the Eagles landed their white whale of the free agency period: none other than 2x All-Pro running back and the Lehigh Valley’s own Saquon Barkley! The two parties agreed to terms on a 3-year deal worth $37.75 million. This makes Barkley the 4th highest-paid running back in the NFL behind Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, and Jonathan Taylor. Saquon made a name for himself in high school playing for the local Whitehall Zephyrs before moving on to Penn State, where he became a campus legend. With these ties to the Keystone State, it’s only fitting the Birds would bring him back home!
Following their shambolic finish to the 2023 season, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is in deep water with the Philly faithful. The city of Brotherly Love is holding its collective breath ahead of the new season, hoping “26” is the spark they need to make it back to the top. Personally, I think he’s just what the doctor ordered!
Barkley will bring tremendous versatility to the new Kellen Moore offense in Philadelphia. Not only is he a threat every time he runs the ball, but he also does damage in the passing game, totaling 2,000+ receiving yards and 12 touchdowns so far in his career. When you couple this with his pass-blocking efficiency of 95.9%, which was number one among running backs last season, you can quickly see how he will become an asset to Jalen Hurts.
Last season, the Eagles became synonymous with a play known as the “Tush Push” or my personal favorite name for it, the “Brotherly Shove.” Whatever nomenclature you use, the play stays just as devastating. In reality, it’s just a quarterback sneak, but the way it was executed made it nearly unstoppable. When you add Saquon to the mix as the last man to push the pile, keeping in mind he can squat 500 pounds, the Eagles might not even need any other plays in the playbook. However, the offseason will give other teams a much-needed opportunity to brainstorm ways to stop this. So, the Eagles shouldn’t rely solely on this one play. Barkley will be able to shoulder much of the workload, which will protect Hurts as well.
Photo Credit: Philadelphia Eagles, Saquon Barkley revealing his Eagles jersey.
One main factor behind this signing was the lack of production the Eagles saw from their running backs, specifically D’Andre Swift. While he showed sparks of brilliance in midnight green, he barely reached 1,000 yards last year and only totaled five rushing touchdowns. That’s simply not enough for a featured back in today’s NFL. Yes, Saquon’s stats were not the best last season either, but he almost equaled Swift behind a much worse offensive line. Going from the Giants’ 31st overall offensive line to the Eagles’ 1st overall will surely have a huge impact on his production, as well as protecting him from injury, which has plagued his career so far. It’s the sort of thing that could completely change his future. If he’s ever going to step up and embrace his full potential, this is the moment.
Speaking of his unfortunate past with injuries, it’s important we consider their impact. Saquon’s biggest detractors will often cite his injury history when arguing why teams would be better off staying away from him. Since entering the league in 2018, he’s had to deal with multiple injuries that have kept him out of competition. None worse than the torn ACL he suffered in 2020, which kept him out for nearly the entire season. However, since then, he’s only missed a total of 8 regular season games. So, considering that he will have an improved offensive line and the Eagles retain Kenneth Gainwell as a tough third-down back, Saquon should be in the best physical shape of his career.
All things considered, I believe this deal is excellent for everyone involved. The Eagles get themselves an elite running back, Saquon Barkley gets a much-deserved payday, and the city of Philadelphia gets a brand-new star. No doubt some people will disagree, whether it be because he left the Giants for their division rival or because they just don’t believe in his ability. One thing is for sure: it will be exciting to see it play out.
